No Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Oatmeal Bars

I forgot the recipe!  This is totally unrelated to rabbits--that must be why I forgot to include it in that post.  :)  These are bars that have been the big summer hit around our house.  I wanted something that was granola-bar-ish but I didn't want to have to turn on the oven.  This recipe is a cinch and is all done and stove top with just two pans (one if you wash in between).  I am terrible about actually following a recipe, so I am going to post the recipe and then in parenthesis share how I changed it.

Jill, this one's for you! 

No Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Oatmeal Bars

1 c. butter (this is a lot of butter for the recipe, so I used 3/4 c. fat.  Probably 1/2 c. butter and 1/4 c. cocnut oil)
1/2 c. packed brown sugar (I don't use refined sugar so I used rapadura aka sucanat.  I also used a bit less than 1/2 c. and top it off with some honey to make it stickier)
1 tsp. vanilla extract
3 c. oats (we've been using organic or gluten free oats, but any old fashioned oats will due.  You can use whatever you want here: nuts, dried fruit, etc.
1 c. choc. chips
1/2 c. peanut butter (I use organic creamy; just peanuts and salt.  I also use a bit of coconut oil because it is more solid when refrigerated than peanut butter.  I love the taste and it makes the consistency a bit less messy)

You can use any sized baking dish for these, depending on how thick you want them.  I usually use my rectangular dish that is approximately 9x13.  Grease the dish.  Melt butter and coconut oil in a small sauce pan.  stir in sugar and vanilla.  Over med. heat, stir and let it simmer and thicken a few minutes; be sure all sugar is disolved.  Stir in oats; keep stirring until completely mixed and pour a bit more than 1/2 of the oat mix into the greased pan.  Press down to cover the bottom of the pan. Set aside other half of oats mix.

Melt choc. chips and peanut butter in another small sauce pan, then pour this mix over the pressed oats.  As best you can, evenly cover the bottom layer, then sprinkle the remaining oats mixture over the top.  Press down slightly to make the oats stick to the top.  Refrigerate.  Cut into bars. 

These do need to be kept into the frig. or they are almost too messy to eat. . . . almost.  

NOT prolificating like rabbits

Well, I just realized that I haven't posted since May, so here is a long awaited post and a new favorite recipe.

I think my last post was about bunnies.  Oh they were so cute!  There were eight and Flopsy proved to be a good mother.  Those eight bunnies, along with the two from Mopsy's litter gave Craig's rabbit tractor an inaugural run.  It was a pleasure to see them literally running around in it.  We had a few escapees because when they are that small, they can still slip right through the slats on the bottom.  One day, they ALL go out through a wide space between the ground and the rabbit cage.  Thanks to St. Francis and St. Anothony, they were all caught.

We were supposed to have several more litters this summer, but that did not work out as planned.  Having new little bunnies around would have made it easier, I think, when it came time butcher that litter.  We lost Mopsy on one of the extremely hot days.  Flopsy, I regret to inform you, seems to be too rotund to have bunnies again right now.  She is now in the rabbit tractor taking some exercise and on a diet.  It is certainly not as easy as I had originally though to raise rabbits for meat.    

We have, despite the obstacles and set backs, enjoyed the fruits of our labor a couple of times.  Rabbit meat is very tasty--similar to chicken!--but it does come out dry, even after slowing cooking in a wine marinade all day long.  So, my next endeavor is to try rabbit confit.  We have tried pheasant confit and it was a success, so I think it would work with rabbit, too.  Unfortunately, I am out of lard, so I will have to render some before we are able to try it.  Sigh.  So much to do and so little time.  Until I have more lard, we will probably just eat rabbit and like it.  :) 

Speaking of time, I also want to learn how to preserve the fur and make a little muff for Aine. 
*even bigger sigh*
I will simply pray for the patience.  I know there are wiser uses of my time right now.  May God bless your endeavors today; whatever you hope to accomplish, may it be holy and worth of your efforts.  May your efforts always bring you closer to Our Lord.